Going to Japan in 2011
 

Finally, Japan Forum, I will have enough money to travel to Japan in 2011. I did intend to travel this year, however the finances just didn't stretch.

I haven't got anything set in stone yet, because I would like to base my journey on the experience and knowledge from the people of Japan Forum!

Firstly, I'll tell you a bit about myself and then I'd really appreciate it if you could help me decide some of the things about my trip to Japan.

I'm a Student, I'm 19, and I'm interested in Japan because I studied the language at college. I like video games and fashion, and sort of interested in anime. I don't really want to spend all my time in Tokyo, I'm interested in food and culture, and I really want to go off the beaten track and see some unique landscapes. Places that are really nice but no-one really goes, sort of thing.

It will be my first trip to Japan, so at the same time I don't want to end up somewhere completely remote where I'll easily get lost! That wouldn't be good, haha.

I'm also travelling from England, and wondered how much flights are these days and what kind of budget I'd need to set myself for 2 weeks in Japan. I've had a look and it seems the cheapest return flights average around £600?

So basically, here are a few questions I'm sure you've been asked before but would really appreciate it if you could help me out:

• What is the best time to visit Japan? I'm free from 25th May to the 23rd of September (finish University) so what would be the best time to go between these? I really can't stand too much heat, and similarly I don't want it to be miserable and raining.
  
• What kind of budget would you need to set yourself for 2 weeks in Japan, travelling from England? I don't want to stay somewhere like a hostel, just as long as I have my own room and bathroom then I'm fine. I was thinking around £2000 ($3084). £600 for the flight, no idea how much a hotel would cost, then the rest for food/travel etc. Maybe be better to spend £2500 ($3855)?
  
• Is there anything worth buying before I go, like a rail pass etc? Any sites or places that are really worth a visit? Please tell me your favourite places.
  
• I really like fashion, so I want to know where to visit in Tokyo. Harajuku and Shibuya? How much time should I spend there?
  
• What are your favourite hotels? Where have you stayed before that has been good value for money?

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure more questions will come as I research more! Thanks for your time JF. I've been here for 2 years now so I'm glad I can finally call on your knowledge to help me out.

1) The later you go, the warmer it is going to be. August is generally considered the most hot/humid, but that certainly carries into September. Tsuyu, or the rainy season happens in the earlier months of summer. In terms of comfort, I would probably go earlier in the summer than later.

2) You can stay comfortably in hotels for under $100 a night. I would budget about $40 a day for food, but budget some more for special meals you might want to try that will cost a bit more. The value of a rail pass will just depend on how far you plan on going outside of Tokyo.

3) If you are into fashion in Tokyo there are all kinds of places to go. I am not sure about Harajuku, but Shinjuku, Ginza, Roppongi will be places to explore.

Great, thank you MMM, that sounds good. The official time for finishing Uni is May 25th, but we usually finish earlier than that depending on exam timetables, so it might be possible for me to go earlier than that.

This is the hotel I stayed in earlier this year. The rates seem higher than when I was there. I think I paid about 8000 a night for a single room. Very new, clean and modern.

http://centurion-hotel.com/e/hotel.html

Oh wow, looks nice! It is expensive though, I'll have to have a think about it. :)

8000 yen a night is actually a reall good price, i doubt that you will find anything decent for less, I have stayed at places that cost between 4000 yen -6500 yen a night, but I will never go back to those hotels

Yeah, 8000 would be good, but the prices on the website seem to have gone up now to around 12,600 or something. That's a lot! (About £100 a night! If I were to stay there for 12 nights, that'd be £1200... a lot of money. Looking for something more around the £60-80 mark.) I'm willing to invest in a nice place though, I'm really picky about cleanliness~ I'm not really bothered about the style or anything, so long as it's a) clean and b) as it's own toilet and shower. So I shall have to think about it :)

I paid about the same for tokyo prince last year, it was like 13500 yen or something like that, so defintely 12600 may be a bit much

What about shinagawa prince? Its not exaly 8000 Yen a night, but I think you can get a decent price through japanhotel.net

You can find info on them here: TOP | Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Hmm looks nice~ When I tried to see the rates though, it says you can only stay for 10 nights, when I wanted to spend 2 weeks in Japan, so 12 nights, really. I'll have a look on Japanhotel.net and see what I can find though :)

You can email them, they can book it for you. Most I've talked to don't like booking through Japanhotel.net for various reason, I myself had positive experieince with them, and what it comes down to is for you to do your own research prior to booking, and they were able to make all kind of special arrangements for me so I am sure 12 nights won't be a big problem

Ah, okay then, sounds good. It's early days yet, I'm still trying to find someone to come with me as I don't really want to travel alone. It's been a bit of a problem since people are like 'yeah I'll come to Japan' but when asked they never seem to have a means of getting the finances for it.

But it's reassuring to know that they'll be able to fix something for me, so I'll bear that in mind in case I decided to go with it. Thanks!

I'm not surprised if your budget is £80 a night just for accommodation and you're asking other 19 yo's. That's pretty steep for most students.

I wouldn't be so quick to write hostels off, most of them are just as clean as hotels and some offer private rooms, so it's not an automatic obligation to share bedroom space. The place we stayed at had them on offer for less than £30. At most a single room with wifi was about £35pn. There might not be an en-suite, but you'll have to use public bathrooms wherever you go anyway, and honestly, they're more likely to be dirtier outside the hostel than in.

I agree... What's wrong with Hostels? I've stayed in loads, and I've never had a problem! The only time I ever choose a hotel over a hostel is if I go to a beach holiday. Other than that, as a student, and as someone that goes "travelling" more than "holiday", I spend the bare minimum cooped up in a room.

I wouldn't mind if they said 'no I won't be able to afford it.' :p

I'm a picky female and I NEED my own shower to wash my hair in. I mean, for men, it's different... you can just kinda, leave it? I need to wash my hair every day, as a 19 year old female it does get nasty if I leave it longer than that. I know hostels won't be that bad, but I don't like sharing and I need my own space. I've saved up for so long to be able to afford it, I kinda want it to be as good as I can get it, if you know what I mean.

It's not the cleanliness I'm worried about, I'm just admittedly a bit of a diva and need to wash my hair in my own shower. Haha.

I suggest a JR Pass if you're going to do some traveling around. It costs about the same as a shinkansen round trip to Kyoto. It's valid for 7 days (14 and 21 days are more expensive.) You can use it on any JR trains, even the Yamanote line in Tokyo and the other JR lines there.

As far as fashion, Takeshita Dori (street) in Harajuku is pretty trendy. It starts just off the Harajuku JR station. Another street very nearby is Omotesando. That's the expensive boutique store street.

As far as hotels is concerned. I stayed at the Keio Plaza and it was way too much for me. My last trip to Japan in March 2005 for 10 nights and round trip airfare was $2600 at the Keio Plaza and Japan Airlines. The hotel was situated perfectly, but it was to ostentatious for me. I'm going back this October for 10 nights and Japan Airlines at the Shinagawa Prince for $1800. That sounds more reasonable. I doubt the hotel will be the calibre of the Keio Plaza, but I'm not concerned with it.

That's all I can think of right now. If you have any more issues, let us know! Keep us informed as to what you've come up with!

The JR pass will be good only if she definitely will travel on the shinkansen. But otherwise it may be a bit overkill if all she will be doing are some local travel around the Yamanote line. Though it will come in handy if she decide to go to Yokohama, which to me is a must. I think Misa will have a blast at around Sakuragicho (Minato Mirai) area

Second Takeshita Dori, and Misa, being a cosplayer, will definitely LOVE harajuku and area. Akiba as well. But for some real Japanese Teen fashion, I am going to say Shibuya. Its slightly more expensive than Takeshita Dori (For the most part), but thats where Asian fashion starts every year!

Can't go wrong with Prince hotel, at least you know they will always be clean....

Well, once I have a more detailed idea of where I want to go, then it'll be worth asking whether or not to get a rail pass, right?

I have a book on street fashion and it said to look at the Shibuya 109 building. My friend went there but she said she felt intimidated because she was dressed touristy and everyone was really pristine, haha. But I really want to see it.

I've been told to visit Harajuku on a Sunday, since I'm a cosplayer I'd love to see everyone else! I'm planning to wear normal clothes (I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb, particularly as I've been told people get changed in Harajuku and back again before going home.)

And of course my main passion is video games so Akiba is a must. :D

Thank you for your advice, JohnBraden and godwine.

(I've suddenly become all excited, weee! Holiday! Yay! Haha.)

Yeah, a more detail itinerary will definitely help to decide whether you need a rail pass or not. As others have pointed out, a 7 day pass cost roughly the same as a single trip to Kyoto, but if you are just going to stay in one region, then there may not be a point in getting a rail pass. If you really want to be detail, go on hyperdia after you know where you want to go, calculate the overall cost of all the travelling you will be doing, then come up with the sum of all JR cost, if its less than the pass, then skip the pass

I say try to hit both Harajuku AND Akihabara on a Sunday if you want to see other cosplayer. You can probably visit Harajuku late morningish and early afternoon, and move to Akiba after.

109 is a bit beyond street fashion, its not formal, but its definitely a place wher you will get something more expensive and "up scale". I don't know how to describe it, its just not your average street clothes, but don't be intimidated by it, a lot of tourist shop there. There is also a 109-2 that said "MEN" on it, but the last time I was there, they do have a couple of nice stores for the ladies, do check that out too....

Jeans mate in Takeshita Dori will probably where you will find your street clothes

About 5000-6000 yen if you reserve it if it is an economy hotel(business hotel).
If you can reserve in Japanese...

I went to Harajuku on the Sunday I was there in 2005. Since I was 40 then and a guy and not in the best shape, it was I who stuck out like a sore thumb! But since there were so many other people dressed normally, no one ever gave it a second thought! There were so many people taking photos of the cosplayers, it looked like a fashion show. The area where they are is quite small. It is basically the bridge over the rail lines in Harajuku. But since the bridge is about 4 lanes with a sidewalk of about 30 feet wide, there is alot of space to hang out, but it can also get packed with people. I actually had a picture taken with a few girls there and I took many photos of all the people there. I will post them here in the forum soon. (I just joined up!)

As far as I know, the girls come from all over and meet up there and then accessorize. I don't recall seeing them get changed there. Maybe in the Harajuku station restroom or something. I just remember they were all so nice and accommodating to the people there taking photos. I bet you'll fit in there with no problem at all and make friends quickly. I got there early in the morning and some of them set up camp to stay the whole day. After a about an hour or so, I left to do more sightseeing around the area. I returned many hours later on my way back to the hotel and saw it was just as busy as I had left it, maybe even more!

And you are more than welcome!

P.S. I started the photo thread in the Japan Trip Report forum...enjoy!

Yeah, the bridge and Takeshita are busy as hell espeically around 1ish 2 to 5... Things are still the same when i went last year.

Akiba you may see a lot of real otaku on sunday. I remember an incident with some guy (Around 25 years old) running to the back alley to open up a Kato train he just purchased, he start sniffing it and rubbing it. I also saw a bunch of older guys (Like in their late 30s and early 40s) dressed as maid walking around Akiba...

Cosplayers are cosplayers, but these hard core Otaku you will find in Akiba for sure

*sighs* Or you could be like me and pick the one day a guy goes crazy and stabs ten people.

No way, you were there??????

Very belated, but yes, although not actually on scene at the time. I didn't see anything. We were there in the morning, then left to get lunch elsewhere. The attack happened at around noon and we heard about it much much later that evening. I didn't even realize until my mum pointed at the TV screen at the hotel and said "That looks familiar, where's that?".

I think we left Akiba about 11:30, so yeah, if we hadn't decided to go and eat outside of the area, we could still have been knocking around the main area.

Hi Columbine
wow you were there.

It was shocking and sad...

Hello MissMisa,
I think the rail pass is worth it.
I wish I could buy one, but I can't cos Im Japanese.

sorry you might have already talked about it somewhere, but I couldn't find.. so
For how long would you like to travel?
And if you can tell your budget, I might be able to give you more information and better suggestions.

I travel too, and I did one this summer for 8days in North part of Japan (Aomori and Hakodate).
I travelled from Yokohama(near Tokyo), I used the coaches to travel (I wish I had the rail pass!) 12 hours to get there! (5500yen one way).
I stayed at a cosy hotels for 4 nights(single room 3500-5000yen per nite) and at an internet cafe for a night(2000yen, you can have soft serve (icecream) and drinks as much as you want, there are all type of games and mangas and all that, and if you pay a little extra, you can use a tiny room for your own) and 2 nights on the bus! The cost of the food was arond 3000yen/day was enough for me.I just went to the places (not expensive ones) where local people would go, and I also used the supermarkets often to find the local food, snacks,sweets and all that!

but you won't find many cosplay people around that area. I only saw 2 girls dressing up like dolls.

You will LOVE Harajuku, just like you said to see all the cosplay girls,Sunday is the best but to enjoy shopping, a weekday is better.
You will also enjoy Shibuya 109. If you really want to see every single shops in there, you'll need 3 hours or more I think.

and if you could come in May, you might be able to see lovely "sakura" in the north part of Japan.This is just an example.
http://goryokaku-tower.tabilog-hokka...y/0001870.html

Anyway, I hope you will have a wonderful time in Japan:)

It was! I was really shocked, because I'd been there a whole year and the only crime I'd come across was really small stuff. Or I'm embarrassed to say, caused by the And then right at the end of my time there, there was a spate of violent murders; this guy in Akihabara, and a dismembered body was supposedly found on the Keihan line. And a girl got stabbed or something. 8[ All in those three-four weeks at the end of May to the start of June.
My family had only just arrived in Japan too so talk about a bad first impression. Luckily though, we had a lovely trip asides from that!

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

I have found a friend to go with me now, (she's on the forum too) and we are planning to go in late May time, after Golden Week. She's been to Japan before for a couple of months, and we also have the same interests so it will be awesome. :)

I'll update you as we make more arrangements!

Yay hunny, can't wait for our trip :D

As you knows I have been twice so got a good idea of cheap "business" hotels in major cities.

For fashion trust me you will love Osaka triangle-land.. sorry ame-mura..but triangle land sounds better and I am sure it has a nickname something like that anyway due to the bizarre mini park in the middle!

Wiki describes it pretty rubbish I'll find you more later
Amerikamura - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I thought I might as well post some of our plan discussion here then others can give us extra tips =)

I was thinking we split the time between Osaka region and Tokyo region, we can fly into one and out from the other for under £600 with emirates on current prices.

JR rail pass will pretty much pay for itself as we can get the bullet train between the two main cities on it, I also totally relied on it for getting around the Greater Tokyo region including going to Hello Kitty land (I know you want to go there :rheart: ) As a bonus we can use it for inner Tokyo for all the places everyone has heard of like shibuya/harajuku/shinjuku/akihabara/ueno although certain parts you can walk between. If we have it we don't have to worry too much about budgeting travel into going to see places if we suddenly see a city online with a random thing in it we want to see!


Hotel wise, we should be able to get a room for around 4000Y in osaka more like 5000Y in tokyo (£30-£40 at current exchange pray for it to get better lol) a night each for a twin room.

In Osaka I liked both
Guest Rooms - Osaka business hotel, Hotel Kinki (best location ever,2 min walk from a street of arcades and shops that are open all night 10min walk from a central big shopping area open in the day and also near cheapy food cafe things, doesn't show summer prices yet but winter prices is 3200 each)

Toyoko Inn Umeda Nakatsu little more expensive at 4200Y each but you do get free breakfast, location is still walk-able from some shops but I don't remember it being quite as good as kinki for me

In Tokyo area I need a find a cheapy one because the ones i were in before were only cheap for double rooms (sharing a bed lol)

Something like this might do but its a bit far out but we can jus get train into town everyday http://www.kurumi-mansion.com/room_eng.html


I was also running away with the idea of staying a little bit longer and getting an apartment thing like the on above
but we would have to spend at least a month in each location to make any real saving.

Depends how long we can afford to/want to stay really like I said just an idea

As for places to see and things to do, there are far too many to list here for now hehe

Hotel
 

A very nice hotel-group is the Toyoko Inn Group, it is cheap, very clean, very close to train stations, in every city and easy to book via internet, so I highly recommend it

I was there more then 2 month and slept all the time in this hotel-group

enjoy japan
c.

Thank you, I stayed in a toyoko inn in osaka when hotel kinki was closed, it was very nice, but kinki is cheaper :cool: I will see which ones they have in Tokyo :D

Just to let you know, WE HAVE BOOKED OUR FLIGHTS.

I'm like majorly excited! Squee!

Thanks for all your help JF. I shall keep you updated!

I read from page 1 to the end....great INFOS...can't wait for my trip in March..:ywave: